Frank Underwood
| birthdate = July 26, 1959 | birthplace = Gaffney, Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States | deathdate = | deathplace = | nationality = | residence = Washington, D.C., United States of America | education = The Sentinel; Harvard Law School | affiliation = United States House of Representatives (1991–2014) | profession = House Majority Whip (2005–2013) Vice President of the United States (2013–2014) President of the United States (2014–present) | father = | mother = | siblings = | marital = Married | spouse = Wife: Claire Underwood | children = with Claire Underwood: Unborn child (aborted) | sigothers = Ex-lovers: 2013: Zoe Barnes (d. 2013) | others = | actor = Kevin Spacey | seasons = 1, 2 | appearances = 2 seasons, 26 episodes | firstseenepisode = | lastseenepisode = | firstmentioned = | lastmentioned = | gallery = Gallery }} Francis J. “Frank” Underwood (born July 26, 1959) is the 46th President of the United States and a former House Majority Whip, whom President Garrett Walker passed over for the position of Secretary of State, causing an angered Frank to seek vengeance. Along with Doug Stamper, Frank's assistant, he slowly began to get revenge, and eventually manipulated his way to the Vice Presidency and after a time, the Presidency. Biography Frank Underwood played by Kevin Spacey is a ruthless politician who achieves his goals via underhanded means all the while maintaining a friendly disposition. His ploy of "hiding a dagger behind a smile" allows him to accomplish his goals without arousing the suspicion of his superiors. Early life Frank's father was a peach farmer in Gaffney, South Carolina, who died of heart attack at the age of 43. (Chapter 3) Raised in impoverished circumstances, he found his hometown suffocating at the time. (Chapter 3) Frank attended military college at "The Sentinel," based on The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. In his senior year, his grades suffered when he volunteered for a U.S. Senate campaign in the fall 1980 and was nearly expelled from the military college. Despite his poor grades, Underwood was accepted and graduated from Harvard Law School in 1984. It is shown that he might have had a romantic relationship while in military college with another cadet, Tim Corbet. (Chapter 8) Marriage At an unknown point in time, Frank married Claire. It could be inferred that Frank met Claire while attending law school at Harvard due to the incomplete pamphlet for Underwood Library Opening Ceremont stating that, "Harvard Law School... in 1984, where he met..." (Chapter 8). Although Claire was interested in having kids, Frank soon decided that it would be cruel to bring a child into a world of pain. Political career South Carolina State Legislature Frank was first elected to public office in 1986 as a member for the South Carolina House of Representatives, as one of the youngest state legislators in state history. Representative election Frank was first elected as U.S. Representative from South Carolina's 5th congressional district in 1990 and was sworn into office in January of 1991. He has since served for 11 terms, winning re-election for his 11th term in 2012.. Frank steadly rose to higher power within congress, eventually becoming the House Majority Whip for the democratic party in 2005. (Chapter 1) Secretary of State passover Snubbed While beginning to announce his ideas to White House Chief of Staff Linda Vasquez for when he becomes Secretary of State, she told Frank that President Walker had passed him up for the position, breaking a promise that he had made to Frank and angering Frank. (Chapter 1) Replacement Secretary Frank then begins his overture by orchestrating a fall from grace by his replacement. By using Peter Russo to manipulate a drug addicted editor of the Secretary's former college newspaper, the secretary is then pelted by media for a piece he allegedly authored regarding the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. This subsequent negative media attention leads the president to select someone else, a personal friend of Frank's, Catherine Durant, a senator from Missouri. Peter Russo for Governor Taking the young representative under his wing, Frank Underwood seemingly grooms Peter Russo for governor of Pennsylvania. He asks Russo to give him one month of sobriety, not for Frank, but himself. While it does appear that Frank truly wishes for Peter Russo to succeed, he knows his true plan will not come to fruition if he truly wins. Frank and the campaign team decide to portray him as a phoenix, in some respects; an alcoholic who was once at the very bottom of his life, now risen from the ashes, via his children's and God's love. He pretends to be open with his past addictions and problems, by telling only half of his story. However, this does not work, and voters slowly start gunning for him. Peter then slowly gains trust and respect in his state, first by partnering with his old friend with the unions, then by putting the Vice President in his place when he, the beloved former governor of Pennsylvania, starts meddling. However, he eventually relapses due to Doug Stamper's influence on a former call girl Russo was associated with. The morning after Peter relapses, he does a morning radio show, where he is clearly drunk. When Peter eventually relapses, (as Frank knew he would), Frank quickly takes control of the situation, and plants the seed that the vice president, who was once the governor of Pennsylvania, take back the governorship of the state. Underwood then murders Russo, planting it as a suicide when he realizes Russo can no longer be controlled. Vice Presidential attempt After Frank secures an open spot in the Pennsylvania Governorship race (by killing Peter Russo), he begins to influence the vice president to run. Previously, he had gotten the Vice President to campaign with Peter Russo, where he (the Vice President) was reintroduced to the love and adulation of a constituency that loved him. This had reminded the Vice President of his glory days as a politician, the glory days that had not continued in his Vice Presidency. Knowing that he was unhappy, and very eager to feel important once more, as well as having freed up a space for Governor, Frank suggests the Vice President as Governor. The President and V.P. heartily agree, a decision further amounted to, because of an evident dislike for one another. Frank ensures they are both aware of this mutual dislike, by mentioning their comments told in confidence to him, to the other. As the V.P. campaigns for the certain victory, Frank and Chief of Staff Linda Vasquez create a fake list of Vice Presidential nominees. They cross off every name, as they attempt to build up to Frank becoming the Vice President. Vice Presidential nomination After being vetted, President Walker officially offered Frank the Vice Presidency while they cooperated together, Frank's phone, left at home, began to ring, as Doug was attempting to inform him of Zoe's betrayal. (Chapter 13) Behind the Scenes *Frank Underwood was portrayed by Kevin Spacey in Seasons 1 and 2 of House of Cards. Appearances Personality Frank is a patient, cunning, and ruthless politician that knows how to take what he wants. Almost machine-like in his approach, he is known to be "extremely effective at what he sets his mind to" according to the likes of Raymond Tusk. Displayed as a power-hungry man with the skills and the resources to match, his quest for power and vengeance leads him to break old alliances and trample on those that stand in his way. We later learn that he is even willing to kill those who become a threat, as shown through his murder of Peter Russo after he threatened to expose Frank along with himself. Despite these traits, Frank can be warm and gentle to those he truly cares about, particularly to Claire Underwood and to a lesser extent Zoe Barnes. Trivia *Frank has met all of the main characters, except Janine and Lucas. **Frank saw Lucas outside Zoe's apartment, but they never interacted. **He was aware of Janine. *The Sentinel is a fictional stand-in version of The Citadel. Category:Americans Category:Males Category:Characters Category:Residents of Washington D.C Category:Main Characters Category:Politicians Category:1959 births